* William H. Korth; Ex-County Weights Official

William H. Korth, former director of the Ventura County weights and measures department, has died at the age of 68 in Santa Paula.

Korth, who died Sunday, was born Nov. 19, 1932, in Fond du Lac, Wis., where he grew up. He attended Michigan State University, where he majored in floriculture. He received an associate of arts degree from Ventura College in 1971.

In 1958, he moved with his wife, Mildred, to Santa Paula and was employed by the Burpee Seed Co. from 1959 to 1966.

In 1966, he began working for Ventura County as a weights and measures inspector. Three years later, he was appointed deputy director and was promoted in 1972 to director. He worked there until retiring in 1997.

He served on many committees, including the board of directors of the California Assn. of Weights and Measures Officials, on which he served as president. He was also president of the Southern California Assn. of Weights and Measures Officials in 1974, 1983 and 1989. He was appointed by the director of the National Bureau of Standards to a five-year term on a committee on administration and education representing 14 western states.

He served as national chairman of National Weights and Measures Week in 1976 and 1977, and was given the John Lowe award for outstanding contributions to code enforcement in 1995. He also served as an enforcement officer for the Resource Management Agency.

He was a president and member of the year of the Santa Paula Active 20-30 Club; a member of the Santa Paula Lions and Optimist clubs; an elder at Santa Paula First Presbyterian Church; and was on the Santa Paula Planning Commission for 12 years, three as chairman.

Most recently, he volunteered at the Santa Paula Oil Museum.

In addition to his wife of 48 years, he is survived by daughters Sandra Glass, Diane McLaughlin and Barbara Hernandez and son Steven, all of Santa Paula; sisters Evelyn Korth, Leone Schmidt and Dorothy Schneiter; 10 grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Memorial services are scheduled at 2 p.m. today at First Presbyterian Church, Santa Paula.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the church, Santa Paula Memorial Hospital, the Santa Clara Valley Hospice or a charity of the donor’s choice.

Arrangements are under the direction of Pierce Bros. Stetler Mortuary in Santa Paula.